Omaha daily bee., 1887-01-13
GAME DEFENDS, POLYCANY.
The Mormon Delegate Opposes the Edmunds
Bill and Upholds the Church.
QUOTATIONS FROM SCRIPTURE.
Senator Manderson Introduces a Bill
Regulating Army Retirements-
The Interstate Commerce
Bill in Doubt.

Defending the Mormon Doctrine.
WAsHlNGroN, Jan. IL. - Especial Tele-
gram to the BEE. There was quite a strik-
ing scene in the house to-day,when Caine, the
Mormon delegate in congress, defended his
religion, his people, and denounced the Ed
munds bill as an excuse for the adventurers
of Utah to despoil the church and its lnem-
bcrS, Mr.. Caine is q man of good appearance,
and, like all those the church has sent to
Washington, of more than unusual ability.
He is not a polvgamist himself, but stood up
in the house to-day and defended the prac-
tice of pOlygamy as divine right. His con-
duct in Washington las been exemplary and
he has won the respect of everyone with
whom he has been associated, both for his
ability and his manly qualities. Although
he is perhaps the only man in
Washington who believes in the doc
times of the Mormon church, he
never hesitates to defend them in private or
in public with the zeal of fanatic and with
such skill as to silence the average debater.
His speech to-day was o close piece of reason-
ing, and the severest critics expressed their
admiration for it, lie quoted scripture
without limit and went SO far as to assert that
the Mormon church was the only one in eX-
istence except the Jewish, that was founded
upon literal scriptural doctrines. During
the speech, at times 1t seemed that Mr.. Caine
would lose control of himself. but he did not,
although toward the close he spoke with
a great deal of feeling. The bill will un-
doubtedly pass, and Mr.. Caine, as we'll as the
Gentiles of the territory, ,belleve the church
cannot survive under it. 1t confiscates the
property, destroys the organization and
makes the practices OF Mormonsm practt-
cally impossible.
THE TRADE DOLLAR.
Inc house coinage committee to-day de-
cided to report the senate till to redeem the
trade dollar. That clause of the bill provid-
Ing that the amount of trade dollars re-
deemed each month shall be deducted from
the monthly purchase of silver bullion under
the act of 1878 was struck out by the house
committee.
~, DEBATE TO CONTINUE ALL WEEK.
The debate in the senate on the Interstate
commerce bill will be continued through the
week. Senator Cullom, who has charge of 1t,
Is anxious to obtain vote, but as there is no
means of curtailng the debate in the senate,
haust themselves. 1T Is expected that the
question will be disposed of about the mid
ole of the coming week. There seems to be
considerable misunderstanding about the par
passed by each house with disagreeing
votes and the differences we're referred to a
conference committee. The conference COM
mittee reconciled the differences; Their
cannot be altered or. amended, and each
house must vote directly on the report of the
conference. Neither is it complete for either
house to instruct its conferees as each in
conference" But the senate might indicate
by vote on collateral question its feeling
on disputed point aud should he but rec
ommend the senate conferees would doubt
less feel bound by such vote. 1t will be
thus seen that there is no iorce to the talk in
some newspapers about amending the bill as
1t now stands. 1t must be accepted as it
stands or be rejected, j
RUMoRs ABOUT IIEwdTT's DEATH.
The report OF the death of Mayor Hewitt
was generally circulated this morning and
of his critical situation, which is similar to
that in which General Logan lay week be-
fore his death. The contradictory dispatches
were welcome, for Mr.. Hewitt, despite his
Washington, A letter was received at the
white house last evening from Mrs. Hewitt,
stating that her. husbands illness would
render it impossible for him to attend the
Information has been received in the city
by friends of Mr.. Hewitt that for the last
three days his sickness has been source of
anxiety to his family 1t is said by
acquaintances that Mr.. Hewitt has long been
under the impression that he did not have
long to live, and for this reason made it a
positive condition of his candidacy for the
mayOralty that he should name the candidate
for president OF the board of aldermen, who
would succeed him in case of his death or
disability.
Az ENDORSEMENT OF VAN WICK.
Ralph Beaumont chairman of the eXecu-
tive committee of the knights of Labor. is
in Washington tonight and expressed the
greatest anxiety for the reelection Of Sena-
is the most staunch and effective friend Of
labor there is in the senate, and that the
knights of Labor of Nebraska. and in fact
the whole country should lend all ENCOURAGE
Beaumont has telegraphed to Van Wyck to
know II the organization of knights of Labor
can do anything to help hIm in his campaign,
and authorizes the use of his name as an adj
vocate of the senators reelection. Ralph
Beaumont has for many years been the
leader of the labor movements of the east,
having been the principle lecturer in the
mining regions OF Pennsylvania for two
years last past There is no officer of ma
tional organization more influential or better
authorized to speak or organized labor. lie
says the influence of labor should be suf-
ticient to settle the contest in Senator Van
Wycks favor.
MANDERsON's ARMY BILL.
Mr.. MandersOn introduced bill in the
senate to-day to facilitate promo
tions and retire from active service upon
their own application officers of the army
who served during the war of tho rebellion
three years as officers or enlisted men OF the
volunteer or regular army. 1T provides that
any officer borne on the active list OF the army
who served in the war of the rebellion at
least three years as an officer or enlisted man
OF the volunteer or regular army of the United.
States shall upon his own application to the
president of the United States after twenty
five years service, including that as mn officer,
or enlisted man in the volunteer or regular
army of the United States be placed on the
retired list of the army in addition to the
number already authorized by law, the re-
tired list being hereby extended to conform
to the requirements of this act.
THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE BILL.
There has been q greA deal of inquiry by
professional brokers in the western and CEN
trai statesmen not located In the large
cites--cOncerning tbe probability of the
interstate commerce bill becoming a law by
act of this congress. o OF course the design is
to speculate on the Information. Your cor
respondent to-day went TO one OF the oldest
and best posted senators in regard TO the
matter, for the purpose OF being able TO give
pointers to the inanifefs. lie said: My
young friend, steer clear of all Speculations
on the strength of the inter state commerce
bill ! am for the measure. but / can tell you
that its passage is very doubtful matter
SO far as the stock market is concerned the
bill has been discounted The brokers have
discounted every phase II can assume. If 1t
only gets through the semitic that Will cause
furry but that has been anticipated. If 1t
should go through the house then you might
do something Under the present aspect of
affairs the market is iustas likely to go up as
down, when bears would suffer instead OF
the bulls.
"In the event the bill, should go through